Virginia County Abandons Legal Defense of Massive Digital Gateway Data Center Project
April 15, 2026
The Prince William County Board of Supervisors in Virginia has unanimously voted to end its legal support for the contentious Prince William Digital Gateway project, a decision that deals a significant blow to one of the largest proposed data center developments in the United States. This move highlights the growing political and legal challenges facing hyperscale data center expansion, particularly in the densely populated and historically sensitive Northern Virginia market, a global epicenter for digital infrastructure.
The board's vote this week means the county will not appeal a recent court decision that invalidated the project's crucial zoning authorization. The zoning for the 2,100-acre, multi-gigawatt campus was originally approved in December 2023 following a marathon public hearing. However, a circuit court judge revoked that authorization in August 2025, ruling that proper public notice procedures were not followed—a decision upheld by an appeals court earlier this month. The county had previously hinted at a challenge but has now opted out after spending over $1.7 million in legal fees defending the project.
Developers QTS Realty Trust and Compass Datacenters had planned a colossal campus near Manassas, with QTS targeting approximately 11.3 million square feet of space and Compass planning up to 11.55 million square feet. The full build-out envisioned 37 buildings, positioning it as one of the first gigawatt-scale data center hubs. The project faced intense opposition from local residents and preservation groups, primarily due to its impact on rural land, environmental concerns, and proximity to the historic Manassas battlefield.
“Today, the board listened to what their constituents, numerous judges, and we have said for years: the rezonings for the Prince William Digital Gateway mega-development were not only detrimental for Prince William County, but illegal,” said David Duncan, president of the American Battlefield Trust. The Coalition to Protect Prince William County also praised the decision, stating residents had made an extraordinary difference for their community.
The county's withdrawal of support shifts the burden entirely to the developers. It remains unclear if QTS or Compass will pursue further legal appeals independently or attempt to restart the zoning process from the beginning. The outcome is being closely watched by the industry as a bellwether for community resistance and regulatory scrutiny facing large-scale infrastructure projects. This case underscores that securing permits is no longer merely a technical or financial hurdle but increasingly a test of social license and procedural rigor, potentially influencing site selection strategies for other major developers.
Source: datacenterdynamics
